The Maryland International Center and the World Trade Center Institute, two nonprofit groups that promote Maryland to the planet, will merge June 1.
The surviving organization will be called the World Trade Center Institute and will be run by Penelope Menzies, who's now director of the institute.
Suzanne O'Hatnick, president of the Maryland International Center, has resigned to pursue a career in international conflict resolution.
Although WTCI's focus is business and MIC's focus is culture and education, "we have actually been tossing this idea [to merge] around for about two or three years," Menzies said yesterday.
"We actually approached MIC about two years ago, but it was not good timing," she said.
One impetus for the merger was a decline in federal grants that helped finance MIC and its sponsorship of international visitation programs, Menzies said.
Besides the promotion of international exchanges, the MIC duties to be assumed by WTCI will include sponsorship of the Governor's International Forum -- an annual event for Maryland's governor to focus on world trade -- and the sale of MIC's guide to interpreters and translators.
The WTCI, based in downtown Baltimore, will continue to help Maryland businesses promote exports and assist overseas companies in making investments here. The WTCI recently opened an expanded resource center for companies seeking information about international markets.
WTCI's annual budget of $675,000 will grow by perhaps 20 percent, Menzies said. Its board will take on several MIC board members, and an MIC employee will join its staff of six.
Besides O'Hatnick, two other MIC staffers will leave to pursue other interests, Menzies said.
Pub Date: 5/14/96
